My Daughter’s Christmas Celebration with her Grandparents

My little Santa my four months old daughter Avni enjoyed her first Christmas with her grandparents. They all had a great time together. I was happy to see the joy on their faces. 

Festivals are the best time not just for family get together but also for strengthening of inter-generational bonding and love and care among family members. We should avail this opportunity for promoting our and our family’s well-being whenever possible and I am glad that my daughter is getting the opportunity to spend quality time with her grandparents and other family members during this festive season. 

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Kisaan Chachi and Knitting Nanis

Enjoyed watching today's "Aaj ki raat hai zindagi" show, hosted by Mr. Amitabh Bachchan which covered information about 60+ Kisaan Chachi (Farmer Aunty) Rajkumari Devi from Patna and 70+ Kitting Nanis Marie Coelho and Caroline Smart from Goa.

Rajkumari Devi encouraged farmers to replace tobacco farming with vegetable plantation and is also an example of women empowerment. Along with these achievements she is an example of  active and productive ageing. I enjoyed watching her in "Aaj ki raat hai zindagi" show:

Both knitting Nanis, Marie Coelho and Caroline Smart from Goa are doing a wonderful work of knitting sweaters for underprivileged children (http://www.bookwormgoa.in/2012/11/15/nanis-who-knit/) . They both are also a perfect example of active and productive ageing.

I would like to thank Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and the entire team of Aaj ki Raat Hai Zindagi show for getting us to know about such great people who are wonderful human beings.

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Great initiative for the protection of Elderly in Pune and Delhi

Enjoyed reading this article (http://www.thebetterindia.com/36965/police-to-help-senior-citizens/) of "The Better India". A much appreciated step being taken by the police departments of Pune and Delhi, where to provide protection to elderly in their area, police officials are visiting their homes interacting  with them and are thus taking care of their security. 

With increase in longevity and migration of younger generation many elderly in India are now living alone who are becoming susceptible to crime and fraud against them. For their security, it is must that in every Indian state police department must take similar steps for the protection of older person's life and dignity in their area. In this way they will help them in leading an active and productive life.

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Tips for Active and Healthy Living

Found an interesting article (http://kfor.com/2015/10/20/a-new-perspective-on-growing-old/) where some simple steps have been suggested by Dr. Bill Thomas (an expert on Ageing) which can play an  important role in leading an active and productive life.

Some of my researches have suggested the same tips for leading an active and productive life.

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89 year old bridesmaid

I am sure you will enjoy reading this post: http://www.boredpanda.com/grandma-bridesmaid-89-years-old-nana-betty/. A beautiful and thoughtful gesture made by a bride Christine Quinn for her grandmother Nana Betty, whom she invited to be one of the bridesmaid in her wedding. 

Often in weddings grandparents play a role of mentors and planners, very few times they are made to play such a beautiful role. This is a secret to active and graceful ageing. We should follow such examples to make our elders enjoy their life.

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Marriage @ 60+

The recent news about the marriage of 60 year old Indian actress Suhasini Mulay with 65 year old physicist Atul Gurtu has not only challenged the stereotypes associated with old age in our society but has also highlighted that there is no age bar for seeking companionship. The interesting thing about their story is that they met via Facebook which is often considered as a favourite platform for social interaction among youngsters.

I wish them both a very happy married life ahead and I also hope that all those who want to marry at 60+ and seek companionship must ignore the stereotypes and take initiative to fulfill their dreams because we get only one life.

You can read more about their story on: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/actress-suhasini-mulay-ties-the-knot-at-60/articleshow/48094332.cms?from=mdr

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Playgrounds for Senior Citizens

For those of you who believe that playgrounds are only for children, this article : http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/04/playgrounds-for-seniors_n_7452270.html is definitely going to change your view. It highlights that playgrounds designed for elders are gaining importance in different parts of the world. These playgrounds or parks have low impact exercise equipment for elders and it also provide opportunities for social gatherings among senior citizens and with children. Thus, encouraging inter-generational activities which can contribute towards enhancement of well-being of elders and youngsters both.

The article mentions that  in America KaBOOM, a nonprofit organization, is working in partnership with the Humana Foundation to build multigenerational playgrounds throughout the country. This is a great initiative, I wish we should follow such examples and work towards building such type of multigenerational playgrounds in our country, for strengthening inter-generational bonding and for the promotion of healthy, active and productive ageing.

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India ranks 1st in the Aegon Retirement Readiness Survey 2015

It is well known that retirement planning has a direct relation with one’s quality of life in old age. One can adapt well to retirement or can age happily, gracefully and productively only when he/she has planned well for retirement.  

In this context have found some information in a recent survey conducted by Aegon titled  Aegon Retirement Readiness Survey 2015, which was conducted on 16000 people in 15 countries, including India. In this survey India has ranked first in the index. This as per the survey indicates that among the participant countries, Indians seem to be well prepared to face retirement.

Specifically in the context of India, the country report (http://www.aegon.com/Documents/aegon-com/Research/2015-Retirement-Survey/India-2015-Retirement-Readiness-Report.pdf) shares the following key findings based on the responses of the Indian participants:

• Almost two-third (63%) of surveyed participants were optimistic that they will have enough money to live on in retirement and three-quarter (75%) were found to have positive associations with retirement.
• 44% were extremely confident that they will be able to fully retire with a comfortable lifestyle, compared to just 22% across all 15 countries surveyed.
• Around 56% of retired participants said that they are currently financially comfortable, and around 52% believe that they will be able to live comfortably in retirement.
• Majority of the participants expressed that they will have to provide financial support to family members after retirement, which is a major concern.
• Among those who expressed their desire to work after retirement, majority want to work for keeping themselves active and also because they enjoy their work. Around 19% want to continue working because they have not saved enough and 23% want to work in order to overcome the anxieties related to their retirement income.
• Participants expressed that they do not think that they are on track to achieve their desired retirement income.

I strongly believe that in addition to financial readiness, social, psychological and physiological dimensions need to be critically explored for the promotion of healthy and productive ageing. I explored these dimensions in my PhD work and got some interesting finding in this regard.

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92 year old marathon runner

Harriette Thompson, a 92 year old woman proved that with strong will and determination nothing is impossible. She finished the San Diego Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon on Sunday 31st May, 2015 in total 7 hours, 24 minutes and 36 seconds.  By doing this she became the world oldest woman to complete a 26.2 mile race.

She ran for a noble cause which is to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She herself is a cancer survivor and she started running in marathon in her 70s. She runs not only to raise charity but also to keep herself fit.  She is a perfect example of active, healthy and productive ageing; and a source of inspiration for many people like me.

I enjoyed watching her video. Hope you will enjoy watching it too: http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/ID/2668557832/

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Lets take a pledge on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

Today on the occasion of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day lets take a pledge to not only just protect our elders against abuse but also work towards empowering them to raise their voice for their right to health and well-being and to live with dignity.

We can do it in our own way and can start with our family, neighbourhood, community or society.

I am trying to do my bit in my own way, mainly for the promotion of healthy and productive ageing. What about you?

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In the memory of my Grandfather

This post is dedicated to my maternal grandfather (my Nana), who was 80+ and who passed away on 5th June, 2015. He participated in India’s struggle for freedom in a very young age, though never took credit for it. During his lifetime he was always eager to learn new things, even at the age of 70 he was interested in learning computers, which many people of that age still found difficult to learn in a city like Allahabad. Despite of his health issues he managed to lead an active and independent life fairly well till the end of his life journey. He left this world exactly the way he wanted, peacefully and calmly.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a chance to meet him or talk to him during the last days of his life, therefore sharing some feelings here for him in order to feel a bit better: “I never thought that I am going to miss you so much when you are gone.  You will always be in my mind and heart like a hero, who through his lifestyle made me believe that no matter whatever the situation is, always trust in your own capabilities, rely on your own energies and never force your decisions on others. I wish that this message must reach you wherever you are”

I just pray and hope that his soul must rest in peace.

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A 94 year old graduate from West Virginia University

Mr. Anthony Brutto, a 94 year old man has proved it right that its never too late to fulfill one's dreams. Through his strong will and perseverance he recently graduated from the West Virginia University. By doing this he achieved something for which he has been trying off and on for almost 75 years. He couldn't achieve it earlier due to some personal and professional commitments.

I salute this gentleman and his strong spirit for accomplishing such a task which for some at this age and even younger age seems difficult. He is a perfect example of active and productive ageing and we must learn from him one thing that inspite of the tough situations faced in our life we must never give up on our dreams.

I enjoyed reading his story on West Virginia University Chronicles (http://chronicles.wvu.edu/meet-the-grads/anthony-brutto) and I am sure you will enjoy reading it too.

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Piku: A movie on inter-generational relationship

Enjoyed watching ‘PIKU’, an interesting movie mainly revolving around the inter-generational relation between the father and the daughter character played by Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone.The sweet and sour relation between the father and the daughter were beautifully depicted in the movie and in a subtle way the movie also highlighted the concerns which each one had about their own life and about each other.

A positive family relation is a must for the healthy living of both youngsters and elderly for which both generations must well communicate their feelings, fears and concerns with each other. In addition to this, along with healthy interdependence some amount of personal space is also important for a positive living.

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A conference on “The Arab Family in an Age of Transition”

Got an opportunity to attend a two day attention grabbing conference on “The Arab Family in an Age of Transition: Challenges and Resilience”, organized by the Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) in collaboration with the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI) ,Qatar University on 3-4 May, 2015. 

Interesting papers were presented in this conference, some of which highlighted the emerging political, economic and cultural issues and challenges faced by the Arab families in various Arabic countries. Along with this some other papers emphasized the role of state policies on family formation and stability and suggested strategies for dealing with the issues and challenges and promoting the family well-being.

Attending this conference was a good learning exercise for me. It not only helped me in understanding Arabic culture, values and the emerging issues and challenges faced by the Arabic families. However, as a gerontologist it also helped me in understanding the situation of elderly in the Arabic families, their emerging needs and concerns in this age of transition and the ways through which their concerns can be addressed for the promotion of their health and well-being.

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100 year old Japanese female swimmer sets record of 1,500 metre freestyle swimming

Came across this enthusiastic news about a 100 year old Japanese swimmer Mieko Nagaoka who became the world’s first centenarian to complete a 1,500 metre freestyle swim in around an hour and sixteen minutes.

It is interesting to note that she took up swimming at the age of 82 to recover from a knee injury. She currently holds 24 world records and plans to set more records. More details are available on: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-04/05/c_134125635.htm

She is a perfect example of active ageing and is really an inspiration for those young and middle aged people who feel that they are too old to learn swimming at their age.

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'MIND' diet for reducing risk of Alzheimer’s disease

In a recent study done at Rush University (USA), the Director of Nutrition and Nutritional Epidemiology Dr. Martha Clare Morris and colleagues developed the “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay” (MIND) diet. The  MIND diet is a mix of Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets, both diets have been found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular conditions and have also been found to provide protection against Dementia.

The 'MIND' diet has 15 dietary components, including green leafy vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil and cheese. For more details see: https://www.rush.edu/news/press-releases/new-mind-diet-may-significantly-protect-against-alzheimers-disease

The study was done in Chicago in which it was found that the MIND diet lowered the risk of Alzheimer's disease by as much as 53 percent in participants who adhered to the diet rigorously, and by about 35 percent in those who followed it moderately well.

It is an interesting and much needed study for the prevention of Dementia and Alzheimer’s. Such type of study needs to be done in other parts of the world as well for exploring ways of reducing the risk of Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

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Pomegranate increases Lifespan

Pomegranate has always been associated with health benefits. A recent study done by scientists at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the Transdisciplinary University (TDU) and Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), Bengaluru, has found that pomegranate juice increases healthy lifespan. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4267107/)

This study was done on a species of fruit fly called Drosophila melanogaster and it was found that fruit flies fed with pomegranate juice not only lived longer but also were resistant to some diseases and produced more offspring.

  

As per the research team, this study provides the scope to explore the potential of pomegranate juice as a nutraceutical to improve health span and lifespan in human beings.

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102nd Indian Science Congress

The 102nd Indian Science Congress, began today in Mumbai. It is organised by the University of Mumbai. This congress looks forward to powering possibilities for the future of advanced safety, healthcare, agriculture, environment, education, industries and entrepreneurs.

In the inaugural session of the congress very interesting and thought provoking speeches were given by Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Mr. Devendra Fadnavis and India’s Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, where along with other issues they emphasized on topics of concerns like Climate Change, Malnutrition, Nuclear Energy.

These issues are very important for the overall development of our country and its people; however being a gerontologist I wish and hope that through such kind of initiatives some efforts should be put to find cures for diseases like Dementia and Alzheimer’s. With increase in longevity this has become a matter of serious concern.  Along with this, efforts should also be made to develop some elder friendly gadgets and tools so that more and more elderly can lead an active, healthy and productive life.

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